====== 19. Reading the Encounters ======


Each encounter — all 1,612 of them — is written in the same format. Each opens with the number and name of the Room followed by pertinent information on running the encounter.

If there is specific information about the door or entrance to the Room that DMs should be aware of before the PCs enter, it can be found before the Read Aloud Text. Additionally, if there is a trap or something of note before the door, it is mentioned here. Some encounters happen in hallways, so be alert for them.

Read Aloud Text. It is recommended that the DM paraphrase or relay this information in his own voice, rather than read it aloud verbatim. This text relays to the players what they see, hear, and sense about the environment.

Initial Attitude. Attitudes for NPCs and monsters are Hostile, Unfriendly, Indifferent, Friendly, and Helpful. Few in this dungeon are Helpful. The Player’s Handbook™ explains how to use the Diplomacy skill to sway attitudes, should the PCs choose to negotiate rather than fight. Hostile attitudes are hard to change, and monsters that are assigned to guard duty rarely change their minds about attacking.

See the Player’s Handbook™ or page 828 of this book for more on NPC attitudes.

Encounter. This is the meat of each Room, and includes the Room’s history, details of the environment, monsters, traps, and so on. If a Room is completely empty, there is still a short description to give the DM something to improvise. If a monster or NPC is present, its hit points are listed. If the encounter refers to creatures from another part of the Dungeon, it lists the Room they are from.

Encounter Condition. This is a special section. Written in shorthand, these notes point the DM to the chart on page 10 and 830, explaining exactly how to conduct the battle. Not every encounter has a special condition, but feel free to add them to taste.

Sometimes Encounter Conditions exist for encounters that are not violent. Details are still provided should a fight break out, or should the PCs try to sleep in a haunted chamber.

Tactics. Sometimes generic, other times specific, the tactics of a given monster are explained here. Sometimes the Tactics section helps a DM understand the contents of the Room, how to open a secret door, or what the best course of action is. Tactics is a catch-all when the Encounter and Treasure sections don’t fit.

Treasure. Be careful not to read this aloud until the PCs have taken time to search the Room. Because there are over 1,500 Rooms in the Dungeon, no matter how much or how little treasure we assigned, it was going to be the wrong amount. Carefully weigh whether or not the PCs need another +1 longsword; would the campaign be better served with a potion of cure light wounds instead? Don’t be afraid to give out less treasure at the start of a Region, anticipating greater rewards at the end.

EL. This is the encounter level, here only to help DMs quickly grasp the difficulty of the encounter. If you’re giving out XP, you can use this instead of each individual monster’s CR.

Scaling. Each encounter with a monster or trap includes tips on how to make the encounter easier or harder. The DM should feel free to ignore this section, or embellish each encounter as he sees fit.

The DM is always free to increase DCs. If the PCs succeed at every Diplomacy, Hide, Listen, Search, Spot, or Swim check, the game can grow stagnant. Increasing the DC is as simple as saying “the stonework is very dense” (a –6 circumstance penalty to all Listen checks), or “the pervading darkness and low ceilings make it hard to see” (Spot checks are more difficult beyond 30 ft. or so).

This book is a great big toolbox, and you are the craftsman.

Stat Block. An NPC or monster stat block appears in this font and follows each Encounter in which a monster of that type is present. We understand that in doing this, there is a duplication of effort, but the more important issue was being complete and thorough.

Stat blocks are presented in 3.5 format. Any time the stat block is different from the information printed in the Monster Manual™, the stat block is correct. Even though they might look similar, stat blocks often vary from one another in terms of weapons, hit points, and even special qualities. Read them carefully. An iron golem, for instance, might have a magical attack that it normally wouldn’t have. Many encounters have been designed with these changes in mind. Ignoring them robs the adventure of crucial flavor.

The final line of a stat block is Possessions, which details items when the Atk and AC of the creature is not thorough enough. It is occasionally omitted for space reasons. If a Possessions line is missing, but Atk lists a longsword, assume that the NPC carries a longsword.